Commandr expands on Google Now by giving its users the ability to toggle hardware switches and control music with simple voice commands. There isn't a standardized way for third-party developers to do such a thing, but that hasn't stopped this developer from coming up with a product worth watching. The original release was more cool than practical, but version 2.0 goes a long way towards correcting this.

Commandr appears to work by listening whenever Google Search is, then immediately cancelling whatever action Search was about to perform and doing its own thing instead. It works largely as you would expect, though there are some hiccups here and there. The app isn't particularly consistent, sometimes turning on my HTC One's flashlight in the background, sometimes opening up the default flashlight app instead. It occasionally failed to accurately report whether the flashlight was on or off.

Mileage may vary with device. We found that GPS toggle doesn't appear to be enabled on the OnePlus One. Similarly, music controls, which are supposed to be universal, didn't work with Poweramp on the same device.

All in all, this is a step in the right direction. Yet if the thought of Commandr listening automatically in the background is disconcerting, the app retains the option to re-enable the "Note to self" command. It's not particularly elegant either way thanks to the hiccups, but hopefully the developer will smooth these out soon enough.

Born and raised in the rural South, Bertel knows what it's like to live without 4G LTE - or 3G, for that matter. The only things he likes sweeter than his tea are his gadgets, and while few objects burn more than a metal phone on a summer day, he prefers them that way anyway.

Comments

Feels more native now when using the commands but I'm having problems with getting the flashlight on/off using voice.

Kevin Aaronson

Sames

abobobilly

[img]http://global3.memecdn.com/english-madafaka_o_1807825.jpg[/img]

Kevin Aaronson

Huzefa Shakir

Well played.

coolsilver

Torch?

CuriousCursor

An API for apps to offer custom commands while in an app would be cool. Like for a camera app, you could go "take a photo" and it would take a photo while you're in the camera app.

Of course, this example is very broad but an API would allow for really fine tuned commands like maybe for a reddit app, it could be "Open r Android" and it would open that.

NF

This can be done using SpeechRecognizer hardwired in the app. Though I imagine the battery impact is pretty large.

Many99

Is there anyone using the 2.0 version after you say a command the okay google stops listening.

Udayan Banerji

Does the GPS toggle require root? I think (and hope) so.

Roberto Giunta

I have a Nexus 5 and the GPS toggle doesn't even work there. Very strange.

Shawn

Same. I'm on stock 4.4.4 with root.

Darrien Glasser

I can explain this, it's because GPS as a setting "doesn't exist" anymore. In 4.4 it was replaced with "Location." Because of this, even the stock Power Widget on the Nexus 5 (or really any other device that has it for that matter and is on KitKat) doesn't toggle GPS. It toggles either "High Accuracy" "Battery Saving" or "Device Only."

Because of this, any app that calls the legacy command of turning just GPS on or off will do nothing, or redirect to the Location subsection of settings.

Kevin Aaronson

Very helpful, thanks.

Eirik Corneliussen

Hmm, why do you hope it requires root?

Udayan Banerji

Because apps should not be able to turn on "fine" location. That is bad for battery and privacy.

Though some people might be ok with it.

Also, I use trigger and the only thing it doesn't allow me to toggle is GPS. Which I find reasonable.

Eirik Corneliussen

Ah, yeah that makes sense.

https://sites.google.com/site/livingroomhush/ Alessandro L

Like Google cares, it's just a bug.

Romdude

GPS toggle doesn't work on my non-rooted htc one m7.

http://gplus.to/bdbplatano M. Puente

I love it when developers fix Android before Google does.

abobobilly

Well Google takes a million years to fix petty issues anyway, so BOO Google.

MikeOxlong

Used to work, although was kinda pointless with the long verbiage required in order to perform simple tasks. Now it doesn't seem to do anything 75% of the time. Nexus 5 here.

"Commandr appears to work by listening whenever Google Search is, then immediately cancelling whatever action Search was about to perform and doing its own thing instead."

Oh my, Google may not be happy with this. I am pretty sure this app is gonna go down for breach of some terms and conditions.

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danishdhanshe

Go f**k her with oil and take that car AND STFU! 😬

Jesús Cuenca

I love it but i wanna speak to my device in spanish :c

mattcoz

Yeah, lots of hiccups, and Google Now has a really hard time with the "resume music" command. No, not "zoom music', not "zoo music", and not... wait, "brazil music"?

Aooga

You can change it to anything you want.

mattcoz

I know, just found it funny.

Shane Redman

Now that google is trying to add these commands in itself, commandr performs the action, but also opens the settings app

0A05

It's not working on my Xperia Z :( hope they will fixed it with a future update, was working well before the update...

Reeved

Does this work offline?

Fatal1ty_93_RUS

What about the Google Now API for xposed Framework? Is that thing useful for this app?

Dan W

Hm...now when I say "turn on wifi", it says "opening wifi settings" and goes to the wifi menu, instead of turning it on automatically. anyone else experiencing this?

Bog

Same here!

Guest

App with a douchey dropped-'vowl' name? Not installing ....

Reeved

Does anybody know how I can use this with Tasker?

Christopher Bement

I've used Commandr a few times now, and every time I install it, it breaks my most-used Google Now commands, "navigate to" and "call X". I don't care about toggles and flashlights nearly as much, and having notes to self emailed are actually pretty damn convenient.